I wonder if the author knows why this piece is so good.

It had the instant appeal of being about a way of life that I could understand but don't really know. Thus it had the qualities of both distance and proximity; I could easily relate and yet have the expectation that I would learn something new.

The narrator's voice had a growing appeal. What it lacked in expression was more than made up for by the asides she drew into the main story line -- her initial plans to be a translator, the interests of her children. The significance of those asides was made clear at the end.

The story line had an obvious point -- would the ranch have enough pregnant heifers. You had to listen just to find out.

The family scenes made the people seem very real. The vet who smiled; the pay in chili and apple pie; the desire to nap after lunch.

The aside about Mad Cow could have seemed shoehorned, but the way it was set up "Just one cow" resonated with the undercurrent of chance that was the undercurrent of the entire story -- falling in love, an infertile bull, etc.

Ultimately, the piece resolves as a clear personal statement about why some people choose to leave themselves vulnerable to the vagaries of nature. The role of chance that started the piece "I fell in love with the guy next door" becomes part of the package deal of being open to the forces that make life worth living.

On top of the narrative flow and the personal touch, one has to appreciate that the piece has great structure and internal coherence. And it never seems forced.